Gautam Deb flags off a JNNURM bus in Siliguri on Monday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, Nov. 3: Ten JNNURM buses were launched for the first time in the plains today.

The 45-seat buses made by Ashok Leyland, fitted with GPS trackers, cameras and LED screens, will travel to different districts in north Bengal from Siliguri.

NBSTC chairman and minister Gautam Deb flagged off the buses at Siliguri’s Tenzing Norgay Central Bus terminus, the biggest bus stand in region.

In total, 140 similar buses would be introduced by the NBSTC to improve connectivity.

“The buses will run on routes across north Bengal and would help thousands of commuters in different towns and even semi-urban areas as they often complain of few buses,” said Deb.

“Some of these buses will also run within town limits of Siliguri,” added the north Bengal development department minister.

“We have also put LED screens where the destinations, next stop, route and other details would be displayed,” an NBSTC official said.

Fourteen Volvo buses would also be introduced in north Bengal but the flag-off date has not been announced.

“These buses will connect each of the seven district headquarters with Calcutta. A pair of such buses will be allotted for each district and every day, one bus will leave from the district and the other from Calcutta,” Deb said.

“People can have the privilege of luxury overnight travel between north Bengal and the state capital.”

NBSTC sources said 10 JNNURM buses would be flagged off by Deb on November 5 in Jalpaiguri.

“These buses will primarily run in the SJDA areas but we have decided to include Haldibari (around 30km from Jalpaiguri) on the route,” an official of NBSTC said in Jalpaiguri.

JNNURM buses do run in the hills, but those carry 20-odd passengers.

Deb said the Tenzing Norgay terminus would be renovated and NBSTC bus terminuses would be set up in Alipurduar and Malda.